All the King's Men

All the King's Men (2006)

Sean Penn stars as corrupt Southern politician Willie Stark in this remake of the Oscar-winning 1949 film based on Robert Penn Warren's novel. The charismatic Stark wins the populist vote, but behind closed doors, he's as underhanded as the predecessors he smeared. Ex-reporter Jack Burden (Jude Law) unwittingly helps Stark gain political power, but it's just a matter of time before the governor's crooked dealings are exposed.

My Two Cents: There came a point when I decided I'd rather read the 600-page book than continue watching this disappointing snore-fest. It was around the 45-minute mark.

Alternative Andy from The Office Two Cents: Actors: Good; Cast: "Mis"; Story: Classic; Script: Yawn; Kate Winslet: Still Love Her.

NetFlix Rank: Didn't Like It
IMDB Rank: 6/10

The Oscars: Part One of Many...

I still have a lot to see before I feel comfortable making predictions or judgments on the recently announced Oscar field, but one I can now count the Best Picture category as complete.

Here's a quick look back at the Two-Cent Reviews for each nominated film from me and my friends (no predictions just yet):

Little Miss Sunshine

Drew's Two Cents: Many films explore themes like dealing with a dysfunctional family and coping with loss. Few do it in an endearing manner thats both dark and comedic, and even fewer do it as well.

Robert's Two Cents: The fact that it's not my kind of deal yet I liked it so much probably speaks to the strength of the screenplay. I kept thinking "there's no way to end this movie"... But WOW did they ever nail it.

The Departed

Drew's Two Cents: Things that lived up to the hype: Bush and Gore on Election Night 2000; Vince Young and Matt Leinart in the 2006 Rose Bowl; and Damon, DiCaprio, and everyone else in The Departed. Bravo!

Matt's Two Cents: Thrilling....Dicaprio and Nicholson are great. I thought the ending was a bit too forced and the easy way out, however.

Robert's Two Cents: A fun and very well made popcorn-thriller. The degree to which DiCaprio (who should get an Oscar here, imo) outshined Damon was really amazing.

Babel

Drew's Two Cents: Bizarre in that it stretches a shallow theme of "woe is me" unfairness into an intricately woven, engaging framework; The editing makes this film better than it really is.

Robert's Two Cents: Exhausting, as nearly all 142 minutes seem to create a constant sense of impending doom.

Kevin's Two Cents: Difficult to watch, but very well done. I'm glad I saw it, but I wouldn't want to see it again.

The Queen

Drew's Two Cents: Despite the silly hyperbole of its central plot, it's a fascinating "fly on the wall" political docudrama fueled by Mirren's Oscar-worthy performance.

Robert's Two Cents: Helen Mirren carries an interesting little movie into something much bigger..Yet I thought production was noticeably rough, and am surprised at all the praise it is receiving.

Letters From Iwo Jima

Drew's Two Cents: Touches on cameraderie, honor, duty, and sacrifice... and shows the universal nature of patriotism; Eastwood outdoes himself... or at least his previous trip to Iwo Jima.

Robert's Two Cents: I usually prefer big-picture flag waving above stories of moral equivalency between "men at war", but here a real pro does the latter in a subtle way that is just on the edge of greatness.

To be continued...

Letters From Iwo Jima

Letters From Iwo Jima (2006)

As tens of thousands of Allied troops push further inland, the Japanese troops defending Iwo Jima during World War II prepare to meet their fate in this Clint Eastwood-directed Oscar nominee for Best Picture, a companion piece to his hit film Flags of Our Fathers. Japanese Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) knows his men are outnumbered and, with no hope of rescue, that most will eventually die in battle -- or end up killing themselves.

My Two Cents: Touches on cameraderie, honor, duty, and sacrifice... and shows the universal nature of patriotism; Eastwood outdoes himself... or at least his previous trip to Iwo Jima.

NetFlix Rank: Really Liked It
IMDB Rank: 8/10

BONUS BLOGGING

Robert's Two Cents: I usually prefer big-picture flag waving above stories of moral equivalency between "men at war", but here a real pro does the latter in a subtle way that is just on the edge of greatness.

NetFlix Rank: Really Liked It

Further thoughts:

War is hell, right? It certainly is for the insignificant soldier in the midst of bloody carnage. Most reviews I've read agree that Eastwood hits the proverbial nail on the head in his depiction of Joe Nobody's batlefield horrors. I won't argue that. I will, however, take it a step further.

For the grunts war isn't always about good and evil. That exists in the macrocosm that the fighting men don't have time to ponder. It's about right and wrong, but in its most individual context.

Eastwood proves that a war movie can make a statement even when it lacks the aesthetics, emotion or grandeur of its peers. And for that I have to applaud.

Little Children

Little Children (2006)

In director Todd Field's titillating tale, the lives of several adult suburbanites, who have yet to surpass adolescence, intersect on the streets of their small town in unexpected ways. While on-the-go wife and mother Kathy (Jennifer Connelly) is preoccupied with her career, Sarah (Kate Winslet, in an Oscar-nominated role), a mother who does not know how to mother, is busy having an affair with stay-at-home dad Brad (Patrick Wilson) -- Kathy's husband.

My Two Cents: American Beauty w/o the pretense? What struck me was its ability to redeem tragically flawed characters without relying on cliched convenience.

NetFlix Rank: Really Liked It
IMDB Rank: 8/10

Further thoughts:

For the longest time (i.e., at least two hours into the film) I struggled with the question: Do I think Little Children is a great movie that I don't like? Or do I really like it and think that it sucks? Ultimately I ruled in its favor on both accounts.

Little Children keeps the viewer guessing. It doesn't necessarily play out the way it appears that it's going to play out. Despite downward spirals, forced metaphors and, yes, some predictability, the film sidesteps every groan-inducing story path and winds up in a (for lack of a better word) perfect spot.

In the end you witness a group of unlikeable adults earn the sympathy that you spend more than two hours trying to give them, yet do not for fear of losing your own self-rspect. Maybe that's what I found so remarkable. Little Children disappointed, surprised and fascinated me. It's the kind of movie that I can spend days ruminating... and that I probably will.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention these final thoughts:

1. Kudos to Phyllis Somerville for what I thought was a powerful supporting role as the film's lone tragically sympathetic soul.

2. Todd Field has to be an NFL Films fan, and I wouldn't be surprised if I learned that Steve Sabol directed the flag fotball sequence near the end. Outstanding and hilarious!

Revisiting the 2006 Oscars...

We're nearing time for the 2007 Oscar nominations, so since I hadn't really seen many of the contenders at the time of the 2006 ceremony, I figured why not look back at the list a year later?

Note: I went 2 for 6 in my predictions.

Best Actor

Nominees: Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Capote," Terrence
Howard in "Hustle & Flow," Heath Ledger in "Brokeback Mountain," Joaquin Phoenix in "Walk the Line," David Strathairn in "Good Night, and Good
Luck."

Won: Hoffman

Should have won?: I can't disagree. In fact I'll go so far as to say that he lapped the field. Phoenix and Howard were good, while I didn't see anything special about Ledger or Straithairn.

Best Supporting Actor

Nominees: George Clooney in "Syriana," Matt Dillon in "Crash," Paul Giamatti in "Cinderella Man," Jake Gyllenhaal in "Brokeback Mountain," William Hurt in "A History of Violence"

Won: Clooney

Should have won?: Clooney wasn't a bad choice, but I'm still partial to Giamatti. Gyllenhaal was awful. AWFUL.

Best Actress

Nominees: Judi Dench in "Mrs. Henderson Presents," Felicity Huffman in "Transamerica," Keira Knightley in "Pride & Prejudice," Charlize Theron in "North Country," Reese Witherspoon in "Walk the Line"

Won: Witherspoon

Should have won?: I'll be honest; I still never saw three of the nominees (nor may I ever). But as much as I love Kiera Knightley (and loved Pride and Prejudice), I think Witherspoon was the right choice.

Best Supporting Actor

Nominees: Amy Adams in "Junebug," Catherine Keener in "Capote," Frances McDormand in "North Country," Rachel Weisz in "The Constant Gardener," Michelle Williams in "Brokeback Mountain

Won: Adams

Should have Won?: Good field, but I agree with the pick, and I'm glad she won, or else I may never have seen the delightful Junebug.

Best Director

Nominees: "Brokeback Mountain," Ang Lee; "Capote," Bennett Miller; "Crash," Paul Haggis; "Good Night, and Good Luck," George Clooney; "Munich," Steven Spielberg

Won: Lee

Should have Won?: Tough call. I think Miller did a great job, though Lee showed flashes of brilliance in his b-grade movie. And a year later, having seen it again, I think I was unfairly critical of Spielberg's effort. It was much better than I originally gave it credit.

Best Picture

Nominees: "Brokeback Mountain," "Capote," "Crash," "Good Night, and Good Luck," "Munich"

Won: Crash

Should have won?: Capote. Period. But in retrospect I think I've elevated Munich to number two (at least from the available choices). Brokeback and Good Night have no business in the discussion.

Who Killed the Electric Car?

Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006)

Amid ever-increasing gas prices, this documentary delves into the short life of the GM EV1 electric car -- once all the rage in the mid-1990s and now fallen by the roadside. How could such an efficient, green-friendly vehicle fail to transform our garages and skies? Through interviews with government officials, former GM employees and concerned celebs (such as EV1 driver Mel Gibson), Chris Paine (former EV1 owner) seeks to answer the question.

My Two Cents: Pedantic sob-story that panders to irrelavant emotional fixation with a certain car; misses its chance to make a meaningful "big picture" statement.

NetFix Rank: Didn't Like It
IMDB Rank: 6/10

Further Thoughts:

I'm on board with Global Warming, slowly but surely. I'm not Dennis Quaid in Day After Tomorrow, but unlike many of my conservative brethren I feel that there exists enough truth to continue examining the issue.

Who Killed the Electric Car? feigns interest in this issue, but it doesn't make much more than a feeble attempt to dissect how its subject matter can contribute to a long-term solution. It's schmaltzy and dishonest and annoying. Its title should be: Who Killed the EV1?, as maybe ten percent of the 90-minute running time relates the plight of these 100 or so EV1-owners to the larger concern at hand.

If you're looking for a documentary that makes a compelling argument then stick with An Inconvenient Truth.

Keeping Up With the Steins

Keeping Up With the Steins (2006)

While his parents plan an over-the-top bar mitzvah on his behalf, a 13-year-old boy struggles with his own shyness and his desire to see his father and grandfather reconcile. Directed by Scott Marshall, who deftly mocks Hollywood excess, this sharp but loving satire of materialism took home the Best Feature award at the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. Jeremy Piven, Jami Gertz, Doris Roberts and newcomer Daryl Sabara lead the standout cast.

My Two Cents: Jeremy Piven's PG-rated Ari Gold does little more than tease interest in this sappy snoozer. I did really enjoy the Jeff Spicoli reset around the 0:30 point.

NetFlix Rank: Didn't Like It
IMDB Rank: 5/10

Babel

Babel (2006)

When an American couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett) vacationing in Morocco fall victim to a random act of violence, a series of events unfolds across four countries that demonstrates both the necessity and impossibility of human communication. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (21 Grams) won Best Director honors at the Cannes Film Festival for this film, which weaves together three seemingly disparate stories of strangers in strange lands.

My Two Cents: Bizarre in that it stretches a shallow theme of "woe is me" unfairness into an intricately woven, engaging framework; The editing makes this film better than it really is.

NetFlix Rank: Liked It
IMDB Rank: 8/10

Further Thoughts:

I don't know that I buy the connection here between two American tourists, a deaf-mute Japanese teen, an illegal immigrant and a goat-herding Morroccan family. It's forced, and borderline silly. And the running social commentary that life is unfair for the underpriveleged smacks of naivete.

But... there's always the "but," right? Much like in his previous work, Inarritu spins multiple stories concurrently, aligned via a central connection. Here, though, it's not so much an event as it is a need. The characters all lack that "something," and it's what makes their stories compelling, even when I didn't personally like them. Then there's the editing; the vignettes don't intertwine so much as they blend, back and forth, playing off of each other. The style accentuates each situation, even as the message trips over its own heavy handed-ness.

The Queen

The Queen (2006)

After Princess Diana's shocking death, Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) and Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) engage in intimate talks as Britain demands the princess be memorialized in a manner beyond standard protocol. This drama goes behind the scenes as the queen and prime minister try to manage Diana's death on a personal level while also dealing with a public calling for royal treatment for their beloved Diana. James Cromwell co-stars.

My Two Cents: Despite the silly hyperbole of its central plot, it's a fascinating "fly on the wall" political docudrama fueled by Mirren's Oscar-worthy performance.

NetFlix Rank: Loved It
IMDB Rank: 8/10

Further Thoughts:

What struck me most about this was the way it played out. It reminded me of Thirteen Days, though that film certainly tackled a more meaningful subject. The Queen operates in the back rooms of the political process, chronicling the spin-doctors, decision-makers and story-shapers at work.

Then there's Mirren. Her performance was as good as anything I've seen the past few years -- absolutely solid in every regard, as she lends an empathetic light to Queen Elizabeth. The rest of the cast complemented her work, but she no doubt steals the show.

American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile

American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile (2006)

An offshoot of the raunchy yet successful imprint, The Naked Mile stars Steve Talley as Adam Stifler, the virginal cousin and polar opposite of Matt and Steve. Adam and his girlfriend decide not to have sex until they're ready. But when Adam and his friends participate in his cousin's university's annual naked run across campus, Adam comes out of his prude shell and learns more about himself than he expects.

My Two Cents: Recycles a lot of the same shtick that made the first three funny, but it's not quite as good the second time around. The excess of boobs, though, helps.

NetFlix Rank: Liked It
IMDB Rank: 5/10

Jackass 2

Jackass 2 (2006)

In the second film based on the infamous MTV series of the same name, Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera and the rest of the gang continue to shun dignity and embrace danger in a series of idiotic feats. As always, the gross-out factor is high in stunts involving horse semen, a fake beard made out of pubic hair and more as the crew travels to India in this Jeff Tremaine-directed sequel.

My Two Cents: Don't watch this one while you're eating.

NetFlix Rank: Liked It
IMDB Rank: 6/10